James "Jim" E. Sedgwick Jr.

"Jim" was born June 2, 1929, in Champaign, the son of James Edward and Bernice Isham Sedgwick. He married Trilby Teters Sedgwick on August 7, 1955, in Lexington. She survives.

Also surviving are their children, Jeff (Karen) Sedgwick of Howell, MI; Cathy (Alan) Stone of Bloomington; Amy (Wayne) Gilliland of Normal; five grandchildren, Ian Sedgwick of Grand Rapids, MI; Rachel Sedgwick of Howell, MI; Katelyn Stone of Bloomington; Kayla Gilliland and Addison Gilliland, both of Normal. He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, James Benjamin Sedgwick; and a sister, Jean Pellum.

James served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War stationed at the Panama Canal. Jim was a proud graduate of The University of Illinois, attaining a degree in Journalism, and Life Member of the Illini Association. He worked for the newspapers in Hoopeston for the Chronicle-Harold, LaSalle-Peru News Tribune, as the City Editor. He later was employed at ISU as the first full time general manager for the Vidette developing the newspaper into the daily publication. Later in life, Jim worked as a Life Insurance Agent for over 30 years with New York Life. He enjoyed photography. He was a former member of the Masonic Lodge in Normal, International Order of DeMolay.

A funeral service will be held at 7:00 p.m. Friday, April 8, 2016 at East Lawn Funeral Home in Bloomington. Visitation will take place two hours prior to the service. A private burial will take place at a later date at Grandview Memorial Gardens in Champaign. Memorials may be sent to the James B. Sedgwick Memorial Scholarship in Chemistry endowment program at Illinois State University, the First United Methodist Church in Normal, or the Fresenius Medical Care at Osf St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington. Online condolences may be shared with the family at eastlawn-bloomington.com